Human Rights Campaign Endorses Josh Shapiro For Pennsylvania Governor

PENNSYLVANIA — Josh Shapiro, the Democrat running to become Pennsylvania's next governor, has secured the endorsement of an organization that supports the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Human Rights Campaign announced this week that its political action committee has thrown its weight behind Shapiro, the current Pennsylvania Attorney General who is hoping to succeed Gov. Tom Wolf when Wolf leaves office.

"Attorney General Shapiro would be an exceptional choice for the next governor of Pennsylvania regardless of the circumstances," Human Rights Campaign President Joni Madison said in a statement. "His track record in standing up for everyday Pennsylvanians in his current role is unparalleled."

Madison said the commonwealth faces a "stark choice" between Shapiro, "who has been a reliable and passionate ally and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community," and his opponent in the November general election, Republican State Sen. Doug Mastriano, "who has made a career out of opposing LGBTQ+ equality and disrespecting the right of LGBTQ+ people to simply exist."

"AG Shapiro is also someone who has a sincere belief in the rule of law and the power of the democratic process to ensure positive change in our society, while his general election opponent has loudly and frequently aired conspiratorial and anti-democratic lies relating to the 2020 election," Madison stated. "The stakes could hardly be higher, and the Human Rights Campaign is proud to put its enthusiastic support behind Pennsylvania's next governor, Josh Shapiro."

Shapiro, who lives in Abington Township, Montgomery County with his family, said in a statement that he has fought to protect and expand the rights of members of the LGBTQ+ community in Pennsylvania, and that he is proud of his record of helping some of the first LGBT+ couples marry in the commonwealth.

"As Governor, I will continue to advance equality and fight for LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians, and I'm honored to have the Human Rights Campaign's support in that effort," Shapiro stated.

Shapiro stated that he has steadfastly supported LGBTQ+ individuals and has an "exemplary" track record on transgender rights, including taking legal action in support of transgender students using the bathroom that confirms with their gender identity.

The Human Rights Campaign calls Mastriano "arguably one of the most anti-LGBTQ+ major party nominees on the national scene in decades," and noted that he was present on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C., the day that the U.S. Capitol building was attacked by supporters of former President Donald Trump.

"Mastriano's opposition to LGBTQ+ equality has been constant, disgraceful, and offensive, and ultimately disqualifying," the Human Rights Campaign said in a news release.

The group said that Mastriano continues to oppose same-sex marriage, supports adoption agencies discriminating against same-sex couples, has described classroom discussion about gender identity as "grooming," and has vowed as governor to issue an executive order banning transgender children from competing on school sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

Human Rights Campaign said Mastriano also opposes abortion in all cases, not even allowing exceptions for rape, incest or threat to the mother, and that he has threatened to cut funding for schools that don't subscribe to his "narrow perspectives on what is appropriate to teach when it comes to race and gender identity."